Seat Belt - Part 2

This blog covers the installation of the front seat belts

Overview
Covering the ongoing work to install the seat belts.

Installation

Rear Packer

With the seat belt frame manufactured the next task was to fit the seat. After trial assemblies it was determined that a 6 mm packer was needed at the rear support to create a near perfect alignment. 

Packers were manufactured from 2024-T3 bar, alodined and fixed to the underside of the seat using 3M trim tape and for ease of assembly then M8 studs were installed after treatment with thread locker.

Pilots seat adaptor
Crutch strap attachment is now located 
at the rear adaptor

Shoulder Harness installation

The leather seat belt openings were finally cut to allow the shoulder harness to be inserted through the back of the seat with the shoulder harness split into two separate runs then attached to the main spar. With the belt entry location set the top head cushion was marked to be taken back to the motor trimmer to have openings cut allowing the belts through to the seats.

Note: This was not done at time of manufacture as there was no idea how this would be executed, that's why the holes were cut in the seat but not in the leather so any error could be hidden - lucked out

Dogs fitted to seat bracket

The seat frame was secured to the roll bar using 19 mm electrical saddle clamps secured with M6 bolts using holes drilled through the seat verticals on both verticials..

To restrain the seat at the top the bolts retaining the saddle clamps were to be used but once it was determined that these would cut the stitching another method was needed. 

Dog clamps were fabricated using 50 x 50 x 1/8'' x 6061-T6 aluminum angle cut 25 mm wide with two [2] conduit clamps installed around the roll bar spreader and fixed to the seat frame using M6 screws.

Placing a short leg on the inside face of the seat with the other fixed to the seat frame with M5 rivet nuts then secured with M5 x 20 screws.

Note: Legs of the dog clamps were shortened to 25 mm to reduce leverage at the attachment point

Factory seat attachment - use of a seat frame
prevented this arrangement being used

Comment 
Final task will be install the belts and headrest on their return with the shoulder straps sent interstate to have the buckles stitched to extend the straps as close as practical to the main spar.